Heat sealing packing device



Nov. 26, 1968 T. H. AQUARIUS ETAL 3,412,527

HEAT SEALING PACKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1965 Nov. 26, 1968 T. H. AQUARIUS ETAL ,527

HEAT SEALING PACKING DEVICE Filed July 1965 FIG.3

3 Sheets-S 2 Nov. 26, 1968 T. H. AQUARIUS ETAL 3,412,527

HEAT SEALING PACKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet .5

Filed July 28, 1965 FEG.9

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,412,527 HEAT SEALING PACKING DEVICE Theodorus H. Aquarius and Joannes F. Aquarius,

Stramproy, Netherlands, assignors to N.V. Machinefabriek v/h Gebr. Th. en J. Aquarius, Stramproy, Netherlands, a corporation of Netherlands Filed July 28, 1965, Ser. No. 476,228 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Aug. 3, 1964, 6408893 13 Claims. (Cl. 53-390) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for sealing articles in a heat-sealable packing Web, comprising a frame having upper and lower mating U-shaped sealing clamps hingedly mounted thereon. An actuating handle is pivotally mounted on the upper sealing clamp and has associated therewith web clamp and cutting means so arranged that, when the handle is depressed, upper and lower sealing clamps en gage and seal the periphery of a folded over web having an article placed therein and, as the handle is further depressed, the continuous web stock is cut from the sealed package and the free edge thereof engaged by the web clamping means. When the handle is subsequently retracted to return the upper sealing clamp to the open position, the web is drawn along thereby and placed in position for a subsequent sealing operation.

The invention relates to a device for packing objects in a heat sealable packing web, which device is provided with a frame supporting a pivotable upper sealing bracket, a lower sealing bracket co-operating with the upper sealing bracket, and a clamp device for the sealable web, which clamp device is attached to the upper sealing bracket, and so cooperating that with a reciprocal pivot movement of the upper sealing bracket whereby it is first retracted and subsequently extended, a portion of the web engaged by the clamp device is folded over another portion thereof, which portions can be sealed together by the sealing brackets in a closed area extending from the fold.

With a known device of this type, vide e.g. the US. Patent No. 3,016,673, the area, that is removed from the sealable Web is so formed that at the edges excess web material remains present. This involves a loss of web material. Further with this known device the separation between the package obtained and the excess sealable packing web stock occurs solely by virtue of the fact that the web, at the same time the package is sealed, is melted through also and not severed by cutting. This means, however, that only materials can be used, which can completely melt and that eg materials consisting of a paper sheet and a sealable layer attached to that sheet, cannot be used.

The invention aims to provide a device, with which the complete width of the sealable packing web can be made use of and in which the packing web need not be completely meltable, although such completely meltable webs may readily be used with the invention. In addition to completely meltable webs, however, webs which are not "ice completely meltable, e.g. consisting of a sheet of paper and a sealable layer, can be used.

The above indicated aims are obtained by the invention in that a dividing device severing the web over its complete width is present and in that the clamping device, attached to the upper sealing bracket, is adapted to grip and retain the free end, that is formed by the severing action of the dividing device.

It is a further aim of the invention that the packing web in the position of the device, in which an object to be packed can be laid on it, form a plain supporting surface. This enhances and speeds up the Work with the packing device. To obtain this result there is, according to a further elaboration of the invention, provided in that the upper sealing bracket in the closed position in which the sealing brackets co-operate, grips the packing web rim and takes the web along with the movement of the upper sealing bracket and can be pivoted to such extent that the packing web is almost positioned in a horizontal plane whereas with the return pivot movement of the upper sealing bracket no packing web transport occurs.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the sealing brackets are essentially U-shaped.

A constructively simple and reliable embodiment of the invention can be obtained, with a locking mechanism actionable by a handle, which locking mechanism is adapted to lock a clamp of the clamping device such that in the position of the handle in which closing pressure is exerted on the sealing brackets, the said clamp of the clamping device is locked.

The above mentioned and further aims of the invention will appear from the specification, that follows at hand of the accompanying drawing, in which two embodiments of the invention are shown.

FIGURE 1 shows a plane view of a first embodiment of the invention with the sealing brackets in the open position;

FIGURE 2 shows the same device in elevation and in the closed position, interrupted lines showing an intermediate position;

FIGURE 3 shows the same device again, in which especially the working of the sealing mechanism is indicated;

FIGURE 4 shows the same device in still a further work position;

FIGURE 5 shows, partly in elevation and partly in cross-section a detail of a clamping device for the sealable web;

FIGURE 6 shows partially a further embodiment of the invention;

FIGURES 7 and 8 show the further embodiment in two different work positions in longitudinal cross-section; and

FIGURE 9 shows the clamping device of the second embodiment in two different positions.

The embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-5 inclusive has an U-shaped lower sealing bracket 1 that is pivotally mounted on pins 2 which are attached to a support 3. The support 3 itself can pivot at pins 4 that are also the pivot means for the eyes or trunnion ends 7 of an U-shaped sealing bracket 6. A tension spring 8 is connected with the lower sealing bracket 1 by means of a pin 9 and with the support 3 by means of a pin 10, by reason of which the lower sealing bracket 1 normally is held against the rim 11 of the support 3. A pin 13 is fixedly connected to the support 3 and at its end provided with a stop 16 which engages ring fixedly connected to the frame of the device, which engagement is caused by the working of a pressure spring 14 which is mounted between the rim 11 and the ring 15. One of the sealing brackets 1 or 6 or both of them can be heated at its sealing surface 12 and 17 respectively.

1 The upper sealing bracket 6 bears a support 18 in which driving means in the form of an actuating handle 19 is mounted which can carry out a small pivotal move ment around a pin 20. In the rest or elevated position the nose 21 of the handle 19 engages the support 18. If the handle 19 is lowered, as more clearly indicated in FIG- URES 2 and 4, a clamping device for gripping the packing web is actuated. This clamping device is attached to the foreside of the upper sealing bracket 6 and is supported by a shaft 22, that can pivot in bearings 23 and 24 attached to the upper sealing bracket 6. The clamping device is formed by a back clamp 26 and a fore clamp 27. With the back clamp 26 a cam member 25 is connected. The clamps 26 and 27 are mutually subjected to a spring pressure in the closing direction by means of springs 28 and 29 mounted on pins affixed at their ends to the clamp 26. These springs are for the sake of clearness only shown in FIGURE 2 in the opened position drawn cross-section ally with interrupted lines instead of in full elevational view with uninterrupted lines. The cam member 25 can co-operate with a stop member 30 attached to the handle 19 to prevent the clamp 26 from following the clamp 27 when the handle 19 is depressed.

Fixedly with the clamp 27 a stop member 31 is connected, which by means of a finger 40 of the handle 19 can be pivoted clockwise for opening the clamp 27.

As shown more especially in FIGURES 1 and 2 the packing web 34 is taken from a roll 32 and guided by means of one or more guide rolls 33. If the clamping device 26, 27 has gripped the web 34 and the upper sealing bracket is pivoted over 180', the sealing surfaces 12 and 17 of the sealing brackets 1 and 6 are positioned in a horizontal plane, on which the web 34 is positioned. The object to be packed can be put on the portion of the web above the lower sealing bracket 1, after which the upper sealing bracket 6 is pivoted back. At the end of this return pivot movement the sealing brackets 1 and 6 engage each other and by further pressure on the handle 19 the stop member 30 will lock the clamp 26 by means of the cam member 25. Following this the finger 40 engages member 31 by reason of which clamp 27 is pivoted clockwise in the opening direction. The clamp 27 will then engage a strip 41 of elastic material by reason of which the packing web is clamped between 27 and 41. With further lowering of the handle 19 the strip 41 will yield because it is pivotally mounted on the taps elongating the spring 38 which has been tensioned between the pins 36 and 37, so that a desired clamping action is maintained on the packing web 34 between clamp 27 and strip 41. The pin 36 is attached to the support 3 and the pin 37 to a lever 39 which is connected with the support 42 of the strip 41. If the handle 19 is still lowered further the upper sealing bracket 6 lowers the lower sealing bracket 1, compressing spring 14. At that moment the knife 43, that fixedly is mounted, engages the packing web gripped between at the one hand the sealing brackets 1 and 6 and at the other hand the clamp 27 and the elastic strip 41. The web is now cut. By returning the handle, spring 14 urges both the sealing brackets 1 and 6 upwardly and normally the handle 19 will remain in the position of FIGURE 4 with the clamp 26 locked by means of the locking member 25 and the stop member 30. The elastic strip 41 also moves upwardly and by reason of this the edge of the packing web remains clamped between 27 and 41. As an extra security means there is a non elastic edge of the U-beam 42 located at the right hand side of the strip 41. When the handle is released or is actuated for a pivot movement for opening the brackets, clamp 26 engages clamp 27 and takes over the clamping action of the edge 42.

The working of the above depicted clamping device in practice has proved to be completely sufficient, it being an advantage, that, when a new web of packing material has to be inserted or the web has been disrupted for some reason or the other, the end of the web can be laid simply on the elastic strip 41, after which the web automatically is gripped by the clamping device, when the handle 19 is moved downwardly and after that again upwardly.

Important for proper operation of the device is further, that the non elastic edge 42 retains clamp 27 in its open position when the finger 30 releases member 31, when the handle 19 moves back.

When the upper sealing bracket 6 again partially is pivoted clockwise, cam 46 of one of the eyes 7 engages the lever 47. This lever can pivot on a pin 48, which fixedly has been attached to the supoprt 3. The arm 44 of lever 47 engages a pin 49 which has been fixedly mounted in the lower sealing bracket 1. By reason of this the lower sealing bracket will pivot around pins 2, so that the sealed package 61 will glide from the supporting plate towards the right side in the drawing. When the upper sealing bracket is moved further on, the stop 46 will release the lever 47, so that the lower sealing bracket will return under influence of spring 8 into its horizontal position, in which it engages rim 11 of the support 3. When the upper sealing bracket 1 is moved backwardly again, the lever 47 will be pivoted around pin 48, but this does not result in a movement of the supporting plate 35.

The embodiment shown in FIGURES 6-9 inclusive in many respects is identical to the described embodiment and corresponding members are indicated with the same references, so that it is considered that any further elucidation of them is superfluous.

A point of difference is, that the handle is not provided with a locking device for co-operating with the clamps, but that the stop member fixedly connected to clamp 27 is exposed to a spring action urging clamp 27 counter clockwise. Further the cutting knife is T-shaped and consists of an upright portion 58 and two horizontally extending portions 59 and 60 respectively. The clamp co-operating with clamp 27 is formed by two parts 50 and 51, which can pivot around the centerline of shaft 22 and again are urged by springs 28 and 29 towards clamp 27. The clamp parts 50 and 51 have a protruding portion 52 and 53 respectively, which can co-operate with stop pins 54 and 55 respectively fixedly mounted in the frame of the device.

When the handle with the finger 40 presses on the stop member 31, the clamping device consisting of the foreclamp 27 and both the back clamps 50 and 51 remain closed so that a space is created between the sealing brackets and the clamping device which space receives the knife 58, 59, 60. The working of this embodiment of the invention is the following: When the sealing brackets are closed, the back clamps 51 and 52 are locked by the stop pins 54 and 55, so that they cannot pivot clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 8 around the shaft 22. By reason of this the clamping device 27, 50, 51 is opened and the clamps 50 and 51 move between the knife blades 59 and 60 and the sealing brackets. Following this the clamp 27 engages with its lower end the elastical strip 56 and retains the packing web, that is cut through by the knife 58, 59. When the handle is further lowered the sealing brackets pivot downwardly and the locking of clamps 51 and 52 is eliminated because the protruding portions 52 and 53 come below the pins 54, 55. After this and due to the T-form of the knife 58, 59, 60, the L-shaped back clamps 50, 51 can pass the knife portions 59 and 60 and their lower side, so that they are ready to close immediately with clamp 27 under infiuence of the springs 28 and 29, when the handle again is moved upwardly, after which they take over and retain the edge of the web, kept between 56 and 27.

What we claim is:

1. A device for feeding a heat sealable packing web to an object to be packed, wrapping said object and sealing the web thereabout comprising: a frame; means supplying said web in a continuous sheet; means for severing a portion of said web along a severing line extending over the full width of the Web; clamping means for gripping and retaining the edge of the severed web; an upper sealing bracket pivotably mounted in said frame and supporting said clamping means; a lower sealing bracket co-operating with said upper sealing bracket and pivotally mounted in said frame with the same pivotal axis as the upper sealing bracket; a driving means for pivoting the upper sealing bracket in a first direction away from the lower sealing bracket and in the reverse direction unto said lower bracket, for pivoting both brackets further in the said reverse direction to move the joining plane of both sealing brackets past the severing means, said driving means being provided with a means for opening the clamping means and closing them again for gripping the web edge.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein a retaining means is present for retaining the web at the moment it is severed until the web edge is gripped by the clamping means.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the pivot movement of the upper sealing bracket with respect to the lower sealing bracket is substantially 180 and in which means are provided for keeping the upper surface of the lower sealing bracket horizontally so that both brackets have their upper surfaces in substantially a single horizontal plane, when said upper bracket has been pivoted 180 with respect to said lower bracket.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the sealing brackets are substantially U-shaped.

5. A device for feeding a heat sealable packing web to an object to be packed, wrapping said object and sealing the web thereabout comprising: a frame; means supplying said web in a continuous sheet; means for wrapping an object in a portion of said web; a cutting knife for severing said portion of said web along a severing line extending over the full Width of the web; clamping means for gripping and retaining the edge of the severed web; an upper sealing bracket pivotably mounted in said frame and supporting said clamping means; a lower sealing bracket co-operating with said upper sealing bracket and pivotably mounted in said frame with the same pivot line as the upper sealing bracket; a driving means for pivoting the upper sealing bracket in a first direction away from the lower sealing bracket and in the reverse direction unto said lower bracket, for pivoting both brackets further in the said reverse direction to move the joining plane of both sealing brackets past the cutting knife, said driving means being provided with a means for opening the clamping means and closing them again for gripping the web edge.

6. A device for feeding a heat sealable packing web to an object to be packed, wrapping said object and sealing the web thereabout comprising: a frame; means supplying said web in a continuous sheet; means for wrapping an object in a portion of said web; means for severing said portion of said web along a severing line extending over the full width of the web; clamping means for gripping and retaining the edge of the severed web; an upper sealing bracket pivotably mounted in said frame and supporting said clamping means; a lower sealing bracket co-operating with said upper sealing bracket and pivotably mounted in said frame with the same pivot line as the upper sealing bracket; a driving means for pivoting the upper sealing bracket in a first direction away from the lower sealing bracket and in the reverse direction unto said lower bracket, for pivoting both brackets further in the said reverse direction to move the joining plane of both sealing brackets past the severing means, said driving means being provided with a means for opening the clamping means and closing them again for gripping the web edge, said clamping means consisting of two pivot clamps urged towards each other by spring means, the said driving means being provided with a locking mechanism, said locking mechanism being adapted to inhibit pivotable movement of one of said clamps when on the said driving means a force is exerted for pressing the sealing brackets together.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which the driving means are pivotably mounted and provided with a first cam member, a second cam member being attached to said clamp.

8. A device for feeding a heat sealable packing web to an object to be packed, wrapping said object and sealing the web thereabout comprising: a frame; means supplying said web in a continuous sheet; means for wrapping an object in a portion of said web; means for severing said portion of said web along a severing line extending over the full width of the web; clamping means for gripping and retaining the edge of the severed web; an upper sealing bracket pivotably mounted in said frame and supporting said clamping means; a lower sealing bracket co-operating with said upper sealing bracket and pivotably mounted in said frame with the same pivot line as the upper sealing bracket; a driving means for pivoting the upper sealing bracket in a first direction away from the lower sealing bracket and in the reverse direction unto said lower bracket, for pivoting both brackets further in the said reverse direction to move the joining plane of both sealing brackets past the severing means, said driving means being provided with a means for opening the clamping means and closing them again for gripping the web edge, wherein a retaining means is present for retaining the web at the moment it is severed until the web edge is gripped by the clamping means, said retaining means containing an elastical strip connected with the lower sealing bracket and a pressure member for pressing the packing web on the elastical strip, said pressure member being connected to the upper sealing bracket.

9. The structure according to claim 8 in which the pressure member is one of the clamps of the clamping device.

10. The structure according to claim 8 wherein the elastical strip is mounted pivotably in a downward direction against the force exerted by spring means.

11. The structure of claim 8 wherein a non elastical rim is mounted at the side of the elastical strip facing the lower sealing bracket, the elastical strip together with said non elastical rim being pivotably mounted in a downward direction against the force exerted by spring means, the said pressure member being a clamp of the clamping device.

12. A device for feeding a heat sealable packing web to an object to be packed, wrapping said object and sealing the web thereabout comprising: a frame; means supplying said web in a continuous sheet; means for wrapping an object in a portion of said web; means for severing said portion of said web along a severing line extending over the full width of the web; clamping means for gripping and retaining the edge of the severed web; an upper sealing bracket pivotably mounted in said frame and supporting said clamping means; a lower sealing bracket co-operating with said upper sealing bracket and pivotably mounted in said frame with the same pivot line as the upper sealing bracket in a first direction away from the lower sealing bracket and in the reverse direction unto said lower bracket, for pivoting both brackets further in the said reverse direction to move the joining plane of both sealing brackets past the severing means, driving means for the upper sealing bracket, said driving means being provided with a means for opening the clamping means and closing them again for gripping the web edge, wherein a supporting surface for the wrapped object is mounted pivotably together with the lower sealing bracket around a further pivot line spaced from the common pivot line of the sealing brackets.

13. The structure according to claim 12, wherein means are present for causing the Lower sealing bracket and the supporting surface pivot around the further pivot line, said last mentioned means having a driving part, connected with the upper sealing bracket and a driven part, coupled with the lower sealing bracket, said driving and driven parts being adapted to engage each other co-operatively in the first part of the relative pivotal movement of the first sealing bracket with respect to the lower sealing backet and disengage with further progress of said relative movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,016,673 1/1962 Parker 53-390 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,261,276 4/1961 France.

10 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

